Its sovereign independence is the issue, not its leadership. Washington wants all nations subservient to its interests – color revolutions and aggressive wars its strategies of choice to achieve its objectives.

On Tuesday, the DPRK conducted its latest ballistic missile test. Secretary of State Tillerson lied, calling it an ICBM launch, “represent(ing) a new escalation of the threat to the United States, our allies and partners, the region, and the world.”

North Korea threatens no one, not America or any other nation. Russia’s Defense Ministry explained the Tuesday launch flew around 535 km, reaching an altitude of 510 km before falling harmlessly into the Sea of Japan – calling the missile an intermediate-range ballistic one, not an ICBM.

The US Pacific Command reported the same information. Tillerson ignored it, willfully heightening tensions. Calling North Korea a “global threat” gives Washington an excuse for more provocative behavior.

On July 4, US Forces Korea issued a statement, saying the

“Eighth US Army and Republic of Korea (ROK) military personnel conducted a combined event exercising assets countering North Korea’s destabilizing and unlawful actions on July 4.”

“This exercise utilized the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the Republic of Korea Hyunmoo Missile II, which fired missiles into territorial waters of South Korea along the East Coast.”

“The system can be rapidly deployed and engaged. The deep strike precision capability enables the ROK-US Alliance to engage the full array of time critical targets under all weather conditions.”

“The ROK-US Alliance remains committed to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Asia-Pacific. The US commitment to the defense of the ROK in the face of threats is ironclad.”

Fact: Threatened by possible US aggression, programs pursued by North Korea’s military aim solely to defend the nation if attacked.

Fact: America and its rogue allies are “committed to” endless wars of aggression and other disturbing provocations, “not peace and prosperity” anywhere – the latter for its privileged class and cronies exclusively.

Fact: Nations America targets belligerently, and others menaced by its bullying and aggressive behavior, threaten no one. Their sovereign independence leaves them vulnerable. Washington wants them transformed into US vassal states, their resources plundered, their people subjugated.

Resolving decades of US hostility toward Pyongyang requires diplomatic outreach by both sides.

The DPRK is willing to engage responsibly any time. Like its predecessors, the Trump administration is not. War on the Korean peninsula remains an ominous possibility.

About the author:

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]
His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

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